Feminism and LGBTQ+ Representation in Film

Meshes of the Afternoon, Persepolis, Scorpio Rising, Pride

Feminism

One key issue addressed by feminist film criticism is the stereotypes of women, who were displayed as either a virgin, wife, or seductress. Another key issue is how women are represented on screen through their lighting and framing, and how this contributes to the male Oedipal trajectory. A third key issue is the importance of analyzing a film in social context, and its abuse from the patriarchy.

Meshes of the Afternoon utilizes seductress framing to communicate the state of women in cinema. This is evident in its soft lighting on Deren when she enters through a

doorway into sheer curtains, and on extreme closeups of her lips with lipstick. Persepolis is animated in black and white with minimal detail in its setting to communicate a message to the world that female oppression is possible anywhere.

Deren stumbles through a repetitive dream sequence about the frustration of being trapped and suicidal. The dream is somewhat reality, and Deren is found dead in the chair by her husband. This emphasizes the frustrations women held in the 40s about their role in the patriarchy. Marjane views hijabs, which she calls a veil, as oppressive. Marjane spoke out against being forced to wear hijabs in a lecture about not distracting men. While Deren communicates the frustration of women through feeling trapped alone, Marjane does through being outspoken.

Deren and Marjane comment on female stereotypes by embracing them. Deren is portrayed as a seductress/wife role, and is found dead by her husband after fighting a

mental battle with the patriarchy. This symbolizes the battles between a wife and husband at home. Marjane’s mother sends Marjane to Europe after fearing she would be robbed of her virginity in jail by guards, then later murdered. Marjane is portrayed a virgin, since she is viewed as helpless.

Queer Film

One key characteristic of Queer Film is its flexible approach to social issues, as opposed to feminist cinema which is typically binary. Another key characteristic is its ambiguity, whereas heterosexual cinema is certain. A final key characteristic is how it is experimental in terms of content and form by subverting the patriarchy and Hollywood.

The aesthetics of Scorpio Rising and Pride are vibrant. Scorpio Rising focuses on the chrome effects of bikes with bright highlights in the beginning of the film to fetishize the

community of queer bikers and machinery. This turns a community that is typically heterosexual and hypermasculine into a queer one. Pride has a similar pop-art and shiny approach in its colors. Frames where most characters are queer are especially colorful to exaggerate the atmosphere of the film. This is evident when Mark is announcing the name of their organization in a room coated with vibrant oranges and yellows.

Queer representation in both films are positive, but differ slightly. Scorpio Rising is focused on gay nazi bikers, a niche part of the queer community. The attitude of the bikers is a “live fast and die young” mentality which emphasizes the explosion of not only the queer community in all forms, but the fearlessness of early queer cinema. Pride displays a social movement and promotes how the whole queer community is helpful to society

through a story about an organization named “Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners” instead of a niche one.

Scorpio Rising is ambiguous because of its composition and avant-garde style, specifically in editing. Flashes of different images and symbols like Nazi flags, Jesus, and sadomasochism tie together an idea, but not in a Hollywood way. Pride is overall ambiguous because it explores the concept of hiding queer identity in its protagonist, Joe.